Mining machine



F. A. LINDGREN MINING MACHINE April 21, 1931.

Filed June 5. 1929 Patented Apr. 2 1, 1931 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK A. LINLGREN, OF WESTERN SPRINGS, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T GOODMAN MANU- FACTURIN G COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS MINING MACHINE Application filed June 3,

10 ting along the face ofthe'coal, the cutter bar is usually disposed at right angles to the machine frame and the machine is fed along the mine bottom by means ofa feed rope, the body portion of the machine being ahead of the cutter bar. When the bottom is soft or uneven it is often necessary that the mining machine ride on timbers or boards to keep the machine from sinking into the bottom and to keepthe cutter bar in the coal.

In mining machines of the type shown in the present application, it has heretofore been necessary to remove each timber from beneath the machine as the cutting end of the machine approached said timber to prevent said timber from fouling the cutter chain. Applicant has eliminated the necessity of removing these timbers by providing a supporting and, guarding pan beneath the cutter chai 7 My invention may be more clearly understood with reference to the following drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device embodying my invention with parts broken away and in section tomore clearly show the details of my invention; V

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the device shown in Figure 1; and t Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sec tionalview taken on line 33 of Figure 2.

Referring now in particular to the drawings, the device embodying my invention is herein illustrated as a miningmachine of the well known'longwall type. The mining machine 10 comprises as its main elements a feeding section 11, a motor 12 forwardly of said feeding section and attached thereto by any suitable'means, and a cutter'section 13 forwardly of said motor section andattached to said motor. section by any suitable means 1929. Serial No. 367,850.

has a cutter chain 15 movable thereabout.

The cutter chain 15 is driven from a sprocket 16 on a vertical shaft 17 which is selectively connectible to the motor 12 by means of a jaw clutch 18 and a gear train of any suitable or well known arrangement.

The cutter bar 14 is supported for pivotal movement about a vertical axis in the cutter section 13 on a member 19 supported for pivotal movement in said cutter section in a usual manner. The member 19 serves as a bearing for the vertical shaft 17 and has an upwardly projecting portion 21 on the outer end thereof which portion has a plurality of holes therein for locking the cutter bar in a fixed position in'the cutter section 13 by means of a locking pin 22 which is adaptable to pass through said aforementioned holes and corresponding holes in the cutter section 13 and outer periphery of the member 19.

Means are provided for supporting the mining machine 10 for slidable movement over the mine bottom. It should be understood that the mining machine may be slidable on its own bottom on the mine bottom or may be supported 011 a supporting means either integral with the bottom portion of said mining machine or separate from said mining machine, and that if desired said supporting means may be'one member eXtending the length of the mining machine.

As herein shown, said means comprises 21. supporting plate 25 attached to the under portion of the feeding section 11 and a supporting plate 26 attached to the under portion of the motor 13. The plate 25 is spaced from the bottom portion of the feeding section 11 by means of spacing blocks 27, 27, and machine screws 28, 28. The plate 26 is similarly spaced from the bottom portion of the motor 12 by means of spacing blocks 29, 29, and machine screws 30, 30. The sides of the supporting plates 25 and 26 and the rearward end of the supporting plate 25 are preferably herein shown as being upturned to facilitate travel over a rough mine bottom.

Referring now more particularly to the subject matter of my invention, a supporting and uarding plate 34 is provided to support the forward portion of the mining machine for slidable movement over the mine bottom and guard the cutter chain from obstructions on the mine bottom. Said supporting and guarding plate abuts the forward portion of the supporting plate 26 at its rearward end and is connecte to the rearward portion of the cuttei' bar 14 at its forward end by suitable meaias such as a spacing block 35 having rivets 36, 36, extending therethrough at its rearward end. The supporting plate 34 may be of any suitable construction but is herein preferably shown as being a flat plate of an arcuate shape which has a sliding connection with the forward portion of the supporting plate 26. As herein shown, the supporting and guiding plate 34 has sliding connection with the forward portion of the supporting plate 26 which connection also serves as a means for supporting the supporting and guarding plate 34. The forward portion of the supporting plate 26 preferably pro ects beyond the forward portion of the motor section 12 and is of a convex arcuate shape. A tongue 32 is provided on the convex arcuate portion of the forward portion of the supporting plate 26 which is slidably connectible with a groove 33 on the outer periphery of the supporting and guarding plate 34.

It will now be seen that I have provided a supporting and guarding plate 34 supported at one end on the tongue 32 on the forward portion of the supporting plate 26 and fixed at its opposite end to the bottom portion of the cutter bar 14 and that said supporting and guarding plate is movable with the cutter bar 14. It may also be seen that this supporting and guarding plate 34 provides a contmuous bearing surface for the mining machine from the rearward end of the feedingiportion 11 of the mining machine 10 to the forward end of the cutting portion of said mining machine and that said supporting and guarding plate besides supporting the cutter portion of the mining machine for movement over the mine bottom also serves as a guarding means to prevent timbers over I which the machine is travelling from fouling the cutter chain.

While I have shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it will be understood that alterations J may be made in the construction and arrangement of the various parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, I do not wish to be construed as limiting myself to the specific embodiment illustrated excepting as it may be limited in the appended claims.

- I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a mining machine, a motor, a frame member projecting forwardly of said motor, a cutter bar mounted on said frame member for pivotal movement about a vertical axis having a cutter chain movable thereabout, cutter chain driving means, and means for supporting the forward portion of said mining machine for slidable movement on the mine bottom comprising a supporting plate movable with said cutter bar and extending from a point adjacent the forward end of said motor forwardly beyond said cutter chain driving means.

2. In combination with a mining machine, a motor, a frame member projecting forwardly of said motor, a cutter bar mounted on said frame member for pivotal movement about a vertical axis having a cutter chain movable thereabout, cutter chain driving means, and means for supporting the forward portion of said mining machine for slidable movement on the mine bottom comprising a supporting plate fixed to the under portion of said cutter barand movable therewith and extending from a point adjacent the forward end of said motor forwardly beyond said cutter chain driving means.

3. In combination with a mining machine, a motor, cutting mechanism forwardly of said motor including a cutter bar pivotally movable with respect to said motor on a ver-' tical axis having a cutter chain movable thereabout and a cutter chain sprocketfor driving said cutter chain, and means for supporting the forward portion of said mining machine for slid able movement over the mine bottom and for guarding said cutting mechanism and cutter chain sprocket from ob structions on the mine bottom comprising a supporting and guarding plate fixed to said cutter bar and movable therewith and extending forwardly from said motor beyond said cutter chain sprocket.

4. In combination with a mining machine, a motor, feeding mechanism rearwardly of said motor, cutting mechanism forwardl of said motor, said cutting mechanism includ ing a cutter bar pivotally movable with respect to said motor on a vertical axis having a cutter chain movable thereabout and means for driving said cutter chain including a cutter chain sprocket, supporting means beneath said motor and feeding mechanism and a supporting and guarding plate beneath said cutter bar and cutter chain sprocket having sliding connection with said aforementioned supporting means at one end thereof, and having a fixed connection with said cutter bar at its opposite end.

5. In combination with a mining machine, a motor, feeding mechanism rearwardly of said motor, cutting mechanism forwardly of said 'Inotor including a cutter bar pivotally movable with respect to said motor on a vertical axis having a cutter chain movable thereabout, means for driving said cutter chain including a cutter chain sprocket, sup- I said cutting mechanism having a slidable supporting connection with the forward portion of said aforementioned supporting means and extending from the forward portion of said aforementioned supporting means adjacent the forward end of said motor forwardly beyond said cutter chain driv- 1ng means. 7

6. In combination with a mining machine a a motor, feeding mechanism rearwardly of said motor, cuttingmechanism forwardly of said motor, said cutting mechanism including a cutter bar supported for pivotal movement with respect to said motor about a vertical axis, a supporting member beneath said motor for supporting said motor for slidable movement along a minebottom, and a sup porting member beneath said cutter bar having slidable supporting connection with said aforementioned supporting member adjacent the forward end thereof and extending from said first mentioned sup.- porting member forwardly adjacent the rearward portion of said cutter bar and having a fixed connection with said cut- 7 ter bar for pivotal movement about the pivotal axis thereof upon movement of said cutter bar.

7. In combination with a mining machine,

' a motor, feeding mechanism rearwardly of said motor, cutting mechanism forwardly of said motor, said cutting mechanism including a cutter bar supported for pivotal movement with respect to said motor about a vertical axis, a supporting member beneath'said motor for supporting said motor for slidable movement along a mine bottom comprising a plate having a convex forward end, and a supporting member beneath said cutter'bar having slidable engagement with said convex forward end of said plate.

8. In combination with a mining machine, a motor, feeding mechanism rearwardly of said motor, cutting mechanism forwardly ofsaid motor, said cutting mechanism including a cutter bar supported for pivotal movement with respect to said motor about a vertical axis, a supporting member beneath said motor for supporting said motor for slidable movement along a mine bottom comprising a plate having a convex forward end, and a supporting member having fixed connection with said cutter bar at one end and having slidable connection with said convex forward end of said plate at its opposite end for pivotal movement about the pivotal axis of said cutter bar upon pivotal movement of said cutter bar.

9. In combination with a mining machine, a motor, feeding mechanism rearwardly of said motor, cutting mechanism forwardly of said motor, said cutting mechanism including a cutter bar supported for pivotal movement with respect to said motor about a vertical axis, means for supporting said motor for slidable movement along a mine bottom, and supporting means comprising a supporting member having slidable supporting engagement with said motor supporting means at one end and having fixed connection with said cutter bar at its opposite end for pivotal movement with said cutter bar for supporting the forward portions of said mining machine for slidable movement over the mine bottom in all positions of said cutter bar with respect to said mining machine.

Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 25th day of May,

FRANK A. LINDGREN. 

